Screen structure



T. L. ATKINSON SCREEN STRUCTURE May 15, 1951 Filed Sept. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 luvamo May 15, 1951 "r. ATKINSON 2,553,125

SCREEN STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \NvaNTog TRUMAN L. Amusou A110 Rnexs Patented May 15, 1951 2,553,125 SCREEN STRUCTURE Truman Atkinson, Ludington, Mich. Application September 15, 1947, Serial No. 774,010 I Y 3 Claims. o1. 1c0-s2s This invention relates to a screen structure. Screens are attached to or associated in numerous ways with window and other openings,

particularly during the summer months when the windows are opened wholly or; partly, for the exclusion of insects and the larger dirt particles.

In the present invention, a screen structure is provided of a very practical and economical form, wherein the ownerof a house or building may buy the screen material and cut it in the lengths required for different dimensional lengths of windows to be screened, and install it on a window or windows, by means of attachments which I'have devised, in a simple and ready manner. The attachments hereinafter fully shown and described include upper and lower edge strips to be connected at the upper and lower edges of a screen body of the proper length for a window, together with cooperating members which are attached at the upper ends of a window opening for a detachable connection of the border strip at the upper end of the screen section, and detachably and adjustably connect with the lower end screen members, to not only secure the screen in place, but tighten it and draw it taut with a filling of the window opening when the screen has been applied.

It is the primary object and purpose of the present invention to provide a screen structure and attachments for the screen material to make such novel screen structure as outlined, and one which'is readily secured and attached in place for use at a window, whatever may be the length of the window. The widths of windows are generally standard and screen material in the regular standard widths is available.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section'through a window equipped with the screen structure of my invention,

Fig. 2 is an inner perspective view of the window with the screen attached,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, similar to Fig. 1, with the intermediate portion of the window frame structure broken away, illustrating the connection of the screen at its upper and lower ends more clearly, in enlarged form,

Fig. 4 is a perspective View. of the upper connecting bracket of which a number may be used at the upper end of the screen,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower connecting and tensioning fixture, a number of which are to be mounted at the upper side of the window sill,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the upper end screen structure and the metal strip to be secured thereto. and

Fig. 7 is a similar perspective view of the metal strip members at the lower end of the screen body, the parts in Figs. 6 and 7 being separated from each other. I

Like reference charactersrefer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The window of a conventional form andstructure will have a lower sill i, an upper horizontal end 2 and vertical sides 3. 'At the inner sides of the sides 3, spaced parallel guide bars 6 are permanently attached for the vertical guiding of movable window sashes 5, which, in the usual manner, may be moved past each other to partly;

open the window. At the upper end of the window opening and at the under side of the upper side 2,'similar transverse or horizontal bars 5' are secured, between which at least the outer window sash 5 is positioned at its upper end when the window is closed. The environment described is that of a conventional window, at the outer side of the opening of which the screen structure of my invention is to be installed.

At the lower side of the outer upper transverse bar 6, a number of metal brackets l are secured by screws, having outer ends formed into shallow hooks B which extend a short distance beyond the plane of the outer side of the 9 of flat metal, at its outer end portion turned outwardly in a Vertical leg 10, as shown. At its inner end a second vertical leg H of less height extends upwardly, which at its upper edge has;

The middle portion a projecting lug l2 (Fig. 5). of the bottom or base 9 is offset upwardly, as shown, and through it a vertical screw 13 passes,

the head of the screw coming underneath the lower side of the middle portion of the base 9. v The screw at its threaded upper end portion I passes through a bar or lever M, which has a longitudinal slot I5 for the screw [3 to pass through, and an opening it near its inner end through which the lug 12 on the leg H passes, thereby mounting the bar or lever M on the leg-:

I l to have limited pivotal movement. A washer. I1 is located around the upper end portion of the screw l3 over the lever l4, and a thumb nut I8 is screwed onto the upper end portion of the The body- [9 of screen material has a width substantially equal to the distance between the l inner sides 3 of the Window frame. Its length may be cut to be approximately the length between the sill l and the upper side 2 of the window frame. At the upper end of the screen I 9, a bar made of thin sheet metal is located and secured. Said bar has an intermediate fiat section 201mm which, at its upper edge, the

metal is bentiinto a U ,-turn and terminates in.

a leg 2| parallel to and back of the upper part of the intermediate section 20. At the lower edge the metal is similarly return bent in a The upper;-

U-bend and upwardly in a leg 22. edge portion of the screen i9 is, gripped or clamped between said leg 22 and the intermediate portion 20, the screen beingsbent, over, thQEl-IPDQ edge of the leg 22 and thence extending downwardly back thereof. In practice the upper border strip for the screen will have the leg 22 spaced from the intermediate portion 20 a distance-such thatthe upper-edge portions of thescreen l9 may-bereadily inserted therein, after a transverse U-shaped member of sheet metal having inner and outer vertical sides 24-and 25 integrally connected at their lower edges by a U-bend(Fig-. 7). The outerside 25 extends above the-innerside 24 and is formed longitudinally at its upper edge with a head 26 substantially of semi-circular crosssection, as shown. lower- U-bend connecting the vertical sides 24 and-25, recesses 21 are cut of a depth sufiicient for the passage ofthe base plate -9 of the lower-fixtures used, whereby the outer upwardly extending legs I0- will'be located at the outer sideof the outer vertical leg 25; Similarly, the inner vertical legs 24 arenotched or recessed with rectangular recesses28, one for" each of the levers-- I 4, which in the installed screen will be positioned at their outer ends-in vertical alinementwith orpartially entering such recesses 28:

At the lower end-of the screen I!) an inverted- U-shapedbar 29 ofthinsheetmetal is attached by turning the lower endpor-tion- I90fthe screen upwardly and to the rearof the: body of the screen in a terminal sectiont'l], which is receivedbetween the sides of the bar 29' and securely clamped thereto byclinching or hammering-said sides-together. Of course, the-lower edge portion of the screen l9 may beinserted into'theopen edge of the bar-'29 and the bar-attached and thereafterthe bar -29 turn ed through an arc of substantially 180 degreesto locate it inits inverted position with thebody of the screen at theouter sideof the outer-legs=of the U-bar-291 The bar 29 secured to the screentbody l94s inserted in and receivedbetween the two legs 24 and25-of the previously described 1 sheet-metal bar -structure. The connecting bend between theouter and inner sides--24 lies against the upper side of the sill l and the outer side 25-against the vertical legs Ill of-the lower fixtures used,

preferably two-innumber. The free ends of the levers I 4 are cutaway and shaped to bear against the upper rounded edgeof the U-eshaped bar 29: By tightening thenuts 18 the bar 29 with the attached screen is forced downwardly between the sides 24 and 25 (Fig. 3) until the screenbody I I9 is properlyv tightened.

The structure described is very practical; and useful, economically manufactured and easily in s stalled; After the upper brackets 1 and; the

lower fixtures having bases 9 and levers, l4-haye In the 4 once been installed in place, they may be left on the window. The upper leg 2| seats in the hooks 8 of the bracket 1, as shown. The purchaser btain t e. bra k ts ,,tha1Qw r, fixture h upper; screen bar having integral parts;- 20, 2| and 22, the screen attached lower bar 29 and the other bar having the sides 24 and 25. He mounts the brackets I and the lower fixtures on the window frame, attaches the lower bar 29 at the lower end of, the screen body and the upper bar 20 at the upper end thereof, positions the sill -lengal ingiUrbarrplace, makes a hook connection, of, the upper bar with the brackets I, inserts the lower bar 29 between the sides 24 and 25, then applies the levers I4 and tightens them bymanual operation of 'thethumb nutsl-8. The: window openingis filled and insures against insect entrance,- while permitting-desired ventilation.

The invention defined-i in theappended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope:

I claim: I 1. In a structureofthecl-ass:described,- a hori zontal channel of a predetermined length openatits upper side having" itslower closedsideadapted to be located against-ahorizontal-win dow sill, a tensioningmemberadaptedto be permanently secured againsta Window sill, having;

' a base portion, adapted to lie over'the window,

sill, and an upwardly extending vertical 1eg. against which a side of said channel is located; the base extending underneath ,the channel, and abar bearing atone endzagainst said tensioning; member at a distance from said channel and at its other end extending over the open upper side. of the channel andadapted to bear against a, lower b'ar element receivable inpsaid'channel and torwhich. ment. ascreenlfixed at tS,. Dp er end; is adapted to be secured, the bar elernentbeing secured, to the lower, end of the screen, and means connected with, the base. ofsaid tension;-v ing member operatively associated withsaid bar for forcing the free end of said bar downwardly,

toward the openupper sideqof said channel and,

force said bar element intosaidchannek 2. A structureas, defined .in claim 1, theside of said channel lying, against said vertical legrofl the tensioning, member-extendingabove said leg, and at its upper end portion,having,a,bead .,exr tending lengthwise thereofaway from said vertiecalleg of the tensioningmemberover the. upper side of the-channel.

, 3. A structure asgdefinedinclaim .1, said means.

connected .to the ,basegof the tensioning' member comprising, a, .threadedscrew havinga wheadlbee low the base and extending upwardly through. andabove said .bar, and,a,,n ut at the, upper end of the screw.

ATKINSON- REFER'EN'CES" CITED The following referenceseareof record in,the=-' file of thispatent:

UNITED STATESiPATE-NTS Number Name Date 1,120,333 Pinkham Dec. 8, 1914 0,794.. t-.15."? .-.--V-V-, July 1, 1945 2,502,665 ODragp Apr. 4, 1950* 

